SS Awakening: My Monster Merging System!

Before the barrier completely reformed. That gap of less than half a second!

"Now!" Zich shouted.

Slimy, which had been constantly drawing fire from the front, suddenly opened its mouth. Instead of spitting venom, it violently launched a silver-white metal sphere that it had been holding inside its body all along.

WHOOSH—!

The black sphere pierced through the final cloud of smoke.

Lucien’s gaze sharpened when he recognised it.

It was one of the tools hanging on Zich’s waist. However, everyone had previously assumed it was an alchemical tool or something similar to the Spirit Bombs. Only now did Lucien finally see its true purpose.

The blue patterns covering the surface of the silver metal sphere suddenly lit up, and its aura was very similar to the ice attack Zich had used with Frostgrave.

The moment it landed, contrary to people’s expectations, it didn’t explode but rather instantly released an extraordinarily powerful wave of ice energy. All the water vapour that had accumulated throughout the battlefield due to the Solar Arts was drawn toward it in that instant, condensing into countless tiny ice crystals that froze almost directly against the golden barrier surrounding Lucien.

CRACK!

The barrier was not destroyed by the ice.

However, the violent collision between hot and cold energy in such a short period caused an almost imperceptible delay.

Only an instant.

But Zich had already arrived with Frostgrave tearing through the air.

Carrying all the strength he had accumulated from the beginning of the match until now, it slashed fiercely toward Lucien’s chest!

"He got him!!"

Hundreds of thousands of spectators rose to their feet simultaneously.

Even Arthur involuntarily stepped half a pace forward.

For this strike, Zich had used five Soul Bombs to reconstruct the battlefield.

He had used Slimy to draw away the majority of the attacks.

He had used the staged ice bomb to create a difference in temperature and delay the barrier’s reformation.

Every preparation, every sacrifice, and every test... All of it had been for this single attack!

CLANG—!!!

A piercing metallic collision rang throughout the entire Central Arena.

Icy-blue and golden energy erupted simultaneously.

Zich’s scythe successfully passed through the Solar Barrier before it had completely closed. The sharp blade was less than half a foot away from Lucien’s chest.

But just as it was about to truly touch his body, two fingers wrapped in golden light firmly caught the blade.

Lucien stood in place. A tiny cut had appeared on the collar of his pure white mage robe from the cold energy overflowing from the scythe.

For the first time, genuine surprise appeared on his face.

"Almost."

Zich’s pupils contracted slightly. He didn’t let that trouble him, however. He exerted force with both arms.

But no matter what he did, he could not move the scythe even half an inch farther.

Lucien looked at Zich, who was now within arm’s reach. The smile that had disappeared returned to his face, but unlike the gentle composure from before, this one was filled with fierceness, like someone who had finally found their rival after years of searching.

"If my Solar Barrier had reformed even a little more slowly, that strike might truly have injured me."

Zich did not bother replying to him. He suddenly released the scythe.

His right hand clenched into a fist... and he punched directly toward Lucien’s face!

BANG!

This method of attack, which almost no mage would ever expect, clearly caused Lucien to freeze for an instant. However, at the final moment, he still raised his left hand and firmly blocked Zich’s fist.

BANG!

Their strength collided. The clothes of both men were simultaneously blown backward by the shockwave.

The next second, Lucien’s five fingers closed.

Scorching golden light instantly erupted from his palm.

Zich’s expression abruptly changed. However, he didn’t retreat. Instead, he followed up with yet another power-packed punch.

BANG!

This time around, Lucien wasn’t able to block because Zich was not only physically more powerful than him, but he also had the Super Soldier skill.

"It has been many years since anyone has managed to push me this—"

"Shut up!"

The instant Zich’s words fell, his second punch had already crashed down with every last trace of strength he possessed.

A dull, thunderous impact suddenly exploded as Lucien’s left arm, which he had only just raised, was knocked violently to the side. The golden radiance covering his arm flickered intensely, while even the black ground beneath their feet, which had long since been burned crimson by the Solar Arts, collapsed with a thunderous roar at the instant their strength collided.

Countless fragments of stone shot into the air.

Lucien’s face darkened more and more because he had never imagined that, even after nearly all of Zich’s summons had been destroyed, and after more than half of his physical strength and mental energy had already been exhausted, Zich would still be capable of erupting with such terrifying close-range power.

Even less had he imagined that the Summoner before him would willingly abandon his weapon and engage him in hand-to-hand combat in the most direct manner possible.

"Third Form—"

Lucien had only just begun to speak when Zich took another step forward. His entire body closed in once more like a savage beast charging low across the ground. At the same time, his shoulder slammed violently into Lucien’s chest, while his right knee had already risen fiercely toward Lucien’s abdomen.

BANG!

Lucien’s body bent slightly on the spot, but before he could borrow the force to retreat, Zich’s left hand had already seized his wrist, while his right fist once again smashed toward his face.

BANG—! BANG! BANG—! BANG!

With every punch that landed, those cracks rapidly spread farther, while the solar energy that had originally flowed in a stable cycle began to tremble violently.

Lucien immediately attempted to create distance between them, but Zich’s five fingers remained locked around his wrist like iron pincers. No matter how much energy he mobilised within his body, he could not break free from that almost tyrannical strength.

"This... Is he really a Summoner?!"

Mithrash had nearly leaned his entire body over the edge of the commentary platform. Both hands gripping the amplification crystal had turned slightly pale from excessive force.

"Zich is suppressing Lucien head-on!"

"No!"

"To be precise, he isn’t giving Lucien any opportunity to release a technique!"

In the spectator stands, the breathing of hundreds of thousands of people seemed to stop at the same time.

From the beginning of the match until now, Lucien had always stood at the centre of the battlefield. Whether facing the self-destruction of Skeletons, underground ambushes, or the opening created by Slimy, he had always maintained that composure, as though everything remained entirely within his control.

But now, for the first time, someone was forcing him backward again and again.

And it was not because of a more powerful spell.

Nor because of a more terrifying summon.

It was because of a pair of fists.

Lucien’s gaze abruptly darkened as he prepared to mobilise the power of the sun within his body once again.

"Solar—"

"I told you."

Zich suddenly raised his head. Those eyes, which had always remained calm, had now been completely replaced by a sharp and overwhelming fighting spirit.

"Stop talking."

BOOM—!

The fifth punch crashed down without restraint.

Accompanied by a crisp explosion, the seemingly indestructible Solar Barrier finally shattered completely. Golden motes of light scattered in every direction as though swept away by a violent wind, while Lucien’s entire body was blasted backward by the terrifying force striking him head-on. His feet carved two deep trenches across the ground, and only after being forced back nearly a hundred metres did he barely manage to stabilise himself.

But the moment he raised his head, Zich had already charged before him once again, raining down attacks.

Zich had known from the very beginning that his summons could not truly break through Lucien’s defence, which was why he had never placed his hopes of victory on them. Those Skeletons, those Soul Bombs, and even Slimy risking itself again and again to draw away attacks had all been used merely to create a single opportunity for him to truly close the distance.

And the moment he successfully approached Lucien, this battle had already entered his rhythm.

"Solar Wheel Eruption!"

Lucien finally cast aside all of his previous composure. Accompanied by a low shout, the enormous solar wheel behind him suddenly contracted. Countless streams of golden energy surged wildly into his body, while scorching patterns resembling molten magma rapidly appeared across the surface of his skin.

A terrifying wave of heat swept violently in every direction.

Zich’s sleeves were instantly burned black, while the exposed skin beneath rapidly turned crimson.

But he did not retreat. Not even the slightest change appeared in the rhythm of his attacks.

His left fist smashed toward Lucien’s chest.

His right fist struck toward Lucien’s jaw.

Immediately afterward, his body rotated violently, and a whipping kick tore fiercely toward Lucien’s waist.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Every time an impact rang out, the entire Central Arena trembled slightly along with it.

The golden patterns covering Lucien’s body flickered continuously. Although the solar energy had greatly enhanced his physical strength, beneath Zich’s almost uninterrupted suppression, he could still do nothing except defend again and again.

There was no time to chant. No opportunity to adjust.

Even raising a hand to gather a technique would be completely interrupted before the next punch landed.

Every part of Zich’s body had transformed into a weapon. There were no extravagant movements and no complicated techniques. There was only the greatest speed, the heaviest force, and continuous suppression that gave the enemy no opportunity to breathe.

’Damn it!’

Lucien coughed up a mouthful of blood as he staggered backward, barely remaining on his feet. His head spun, and his body arched as though everything inside him were burning. He could barely remain standing.